


Kuroda Susumu

by Misspelling



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Video Game World, Arranged Marriage, Assassination Attempt(s), Assassination Plot(s), Assumptions, Attempted Murder, Betrayal, Character Death, Child Neglect, Child Soldiers, Dishonor, Espionage, Everything Hurts, F/F, F/M, Gen, Graphic Depictions of Illness, Graphic Description of Corpses, Graphic Violence, Harm to Animals, Honor, Kuroda Susumu, M/M, Major Character Injury, Major Character Undeath, Major character death - Freeform, Minor Character Death, Miscommunication, Murder, Ninja, Ninken | Ninja Dogs, Peer Pressure, Political Alliances, Political Expediency, Politics, Post-War, Reincarnation, Sabotage, Treason, Video Game Mechanics, War, ritual suicide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-08-27 07:01:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8391787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Misspelling/pseuds/Misspelling
Summary: A child is reborn once, and considers it a blessing. The gods have shown mercy and allowed him to live a full and complete life. Until he is murdered. And murdered again. Life unceasing.Are the gods crying or laughing? Surely they laugh - why else make these reincarnations a game? Why must he play them? What must he do?





	1. Prologue

Susumu's ephemeral soul awakens in the grey place. He does not understand this place, why it exists or how to traverse it. The purpose is clear however. This is the place he goes when he dies before his time. 

This, the third time, Susumu was murdered by a ninja – whoever they were surprised him with a knife in the throat from behind. His team, all less capable than himself, were likely killed as well. Four of them were fresh Genin from the Suna Academy. The oldest was thirteen. Dead. His failure is absolute. 

The Third Great Shinobi War claimed his team, mixed forces from Suna and Konoha, mostly children. His Kazekage trusted him to protect those children on their first foray outside the village, to keep those young souls from weighing on her flagging spirit. Failure. Susumu falls into despair. 

The quiet grey place offers no comfort but this: none shall witness Susumu's pathetic breakdown, the sobbing and the begging. His dishonor is restricted to himself alone. Such is his lot that he must be pathetically grateful for it. How easily could those poor unprepared children appear to mock him? It has happened before. Still, Susumu suspects they have moved on to the good place – if it exists. He honestly doubts. Through long experience Susumu has realized that despair, like joy, lasts only so long. However many years he rests, nothing in the grey place changes. Eventually even his mourning must come to an end. 

It is only then, finally calm, that Susumu turns his attention to the scroll. It is large around as a man's shoulders and wider than his extended fingertips. The calligraphy is beautiful, elegant. The ink is dark and perpetually wet as though the gods had just noted this message down. Time, Susumu suspects, is somewhat twisted in the quiet grey place. The scroll floats alongside a perpetually fresh brush, waiting patiently for Susumu to be ready to read it and sign his soul away. Again.

This will be the fourth time. Once Susumu thought that his consent could be withheld, but no longer. Now he knows – there is no escape from the grey place. He will exist there for as long as he refuses to sign. Therefore Susumu does not further abstain, but instead reads it. The first section pertains to his most recent murder.

Yanagi Susumu, Jōnin  
Death: Age 23, Honorable Combat  
LVL: 89, Weapons Specialist  
PTS: 32, 750  
Karma: Positive

Failure. There is nothing honorable about that no matter what the gods insist in their odd scroll. The sentiment is appreciated however. The next section details his previous lives and actions. He hasn't even once come close to winning this game. He has never lived past twenty-five. 

The first life, before the curse, was a simple one. He'd died of a sickness which had ravaged his family's farm during the Clan War Era. He'd been the younger son, only nine. The sickness was unknown to them and killed everybody. That death had been slow. Unpleasant. 

Although the scroll does not mention it, Susumu remembers that his time in the grey place afterword had been long, confusing and emotionally turbulent as he came to realize first that he had died and then that his family and ancestors were beyond his reach. He'd been a child. He'd believed the gods were providing a second chance to an innocent child. He'd followed directions into his second life.

That life was privileged by comparison. His family had been a Samurai family's servants and retainers. The Land of Iron had been generous to them and prestige elevated them to high station. The boy whom he had possessed died of a sickness the night before Susumu was reborn into his body. Susumu had done as much as he could to honor his new family. The guilt of assuming this child's place was all consuming. 

He honored his new ancestors, obeyed his father and elder brothers, served with distinction as a diplomat for the noble family to whom his were obligated to serve. He never married. Scarcely twenty when the First Shinobi World War had swept across the land like a plague he'd assumed the position of regent for his new lord, who was only three years old when his family was all murdered. Susumu did what he could to protect and further the family's interests. Assassins came. 

Susumu had been killed defending his lord. Again Susumu visited the grey place. His second life was finished, had been lived honorably. What more could he have done? Nothing, he realized. There was nothing to be done. He spent some time in the grey place discouraged beyond tolerance. Then, like now, he eventually moved forward. What else could he do?

This, his third life, was also one born into strife. His new grandfather was a rogue dishonorable samurai who ruined everything he touched until he was captured by Sand Ninja. He escaped – took a Genin girl hostage. The things he did to her were beyond description. The result, Susumu's new father, was generally a well-liked orphan who became a Sand Jōnin. Susumu himself had died leading a scouting team comprised of his own Genin students and several Konoha shinobi in the Third Shinobi World War. 

It was a pointless life, all told. He would not be remembered for having done any great thing in the world. The war had reduced the people to mindless monsters, the warfront was merely the meat grinder into which they threw themselves. The war itself was petty and brutal. Ninja everywhere had professed to despise it. Nevertheless neither side would relent in their demands nor open their minds to diplomacy. Civilians were reduced in number – something like one in three were killed in the crossfire. The casualties were even worse in the armed forces. 

Susumu's resentment of the legends leading the villages brewed into a fervent hate fueled by every child he murdered on orders. Another child dead, another small community slaughtered, another drop in the ocean of blood which consumed the world. Times were such that Susumu expected to do these things without consequence – nobody was left to mourn these children. Nevertheless the scroll insisted he was 'honorable' and deserved yet another chance.

And now? Susumu is certain that what he truly deserves – what all shinobi deserve is to go straight to hell. But that is not an option. Susumu must live his life to the fullest and die of old age. Or he will not die at all but begin a new round in this accursed game. Whatever the intentions of the gods in giving him a chance to live a full life, it has been twisted by the reality of the world. It is a dark and bloody place. Morals are few and poorly adhered to. Honor is merely a political pretense to most, a tool in the hands of the powerful to manipulate their followers and enemies. That is human nature left unchecked. 

Nevertheless Susumu is painfully aware that he does not have a real choice. He must move forward once again and do his best to survive. He will lie and cheat, murder and pillage. Whatever it takes. He deserves hell no matter what, but the only way to get to hell is to survive. He must survive to be properly punished. He wants it with an unceasing desire. If there is a way to live to advanced age honorably he has not witnessed it. He will try, owes it to his ancestors to make the attempt. But he will not hesitate otherwise. No hesitation, no mercy. The rallying call of the Third Great Shinobi War.

The scroll waits, the ink eternally fresh and gleaming, for Susumu to indicate his readiness. By now intimately familiar with this process Susumu selects first the option of 'New Game' and then reads quickly through his 'Bonus' for being an 'Old Soul'. Nagamaki has always been his weapon of choice. After three lives wielding one his successive lives have given a bonus to the 'skills' pertaining to wielding one. Among other things, positive Karma means that he has an initially positive reputation with most people.

Finally, Susumu chooses his statistics. These are the means by which his strengths are calculated. Rather Susumu chooses which statistics will be bolstered. Five of these 'points' are available to him. Two go to Strength, two go to Dexterity, and one to Constitution – all of these will be useful in combat and he has bonuses enough to his more ephemeral characteristics. His statistics therefore write themselves out on the scroll thus:

Susumu, LVL 1  
Weapon's Specialist:  
[Polearms]: +15% Damage, +30% exp. [Nagamaki]  
[Thrown]: +15% Damage, +10% exp. [Kunai], +10% exp. [Shuriken]  
[Swords]: +15% Damage, +10% exp. [Ninjato]  
Old Soul:  
+5 Intelligence  
+Wisdom  
Karma: Positive  
\+ Charisma  
\+ 200 base Reputation  
Strength: 7  
Dexterity: 7  
Constitution: 6  
Intelligence: 10  
Wisdom: 10  
Charisma: 10

Susumu does not invest energy into disillusioning himself – he will begin with an unfair advantage. Personal experience aside, his strength as it is matches or exceeds anything a civilian could reasonably exhibit no matter their age or experience. This does pose a potential problem however. If he is reborn into a child again Susumu will need to use extreme caution interacting with his family. A civilian family would be the most disastrous of course, his new parents would be entirely unable to defend themselves if he damaged them accidentally. 

The child of civilians is generally weaker of will and body than a child born to Samurai or Ninja families. Something about the parents using their spiritual, mental and physical energies manages almost always to translate in some way to their progeny. It is this inherited ability which inevitably sends the children onto the same path their parent's walked, perpetuating the cycle of hatred. Being possessed of advanced physical or mental development will be more easily ignored in a Samurai or Ninja household where extraordinary acts are performed daily. More often Ninja, it must be said, as the old way begins to fade. Susumu hopes to be reborn into one of these families to avoid excessive attention, but he must brace himself for the opposite. 

Thus decided, Susumu allows the scroll to wrap itself up after he has approved of his choice and signed his soul away. The scroll predictably glows with the golden chakra of the gods or some higher being, seals beyond his comprehension moving and consuming every inch – the scroll abruptly takes on a life of its own and wraps around Susumu's soul, consuming it. 

Susumu takes a deep, gasping breath. It is his first in this new body.


	2. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Susumu adjusts to a lukewarm family life, a contentious academic life, and a budding murder mystery - all the while keeping his incredible powers of sarcasm to himself.

Susumu quickly assimilates to his new body. He is young, untrained. His hands and feet are soft and without callouses. He is perfectly formed and without blemish beyond a few freckles here and there on his arms and legs. Good. This will be difficult enough without adjusting to a debilitating injury or disability. His skin has a natural tan, his hair falls to his shoulders in tumbling waves of pure silver. Somewhat unusual in a civilian family – the likelihood that he has been born into a Samurai or Ninja clan of some sort is high.

He looks around himself. Susumu is sitting on a simple futon under thick blankets. The room has at least one other child in a futon of their own a few feet away. This must be a somewhat traditional house at least. The floor is tatami, the walls aren't actually rice paper – he must be on an upper floor then. Other than a dresser and chest for storing futons the room is reassuringly uncluttered. There are four doorways, one in each wall, which are protected not with doors but fluttering white cloth. Outside this meager veil is a thin balcony. Susumu investigates further. 

The balcony wraps around the entire floor, which comprises four rooms and a bathroom around a narrow staircase. The other rooms are occupied by other children peaceably sleeping in futons. One room is messy with piles of laundry, but the futon is empty. Susumu was correct before – he is on an upper floor. The building is a tower of some sort and his balcony is three levels up. From the balcony he can see that it is either dawn or sunset – likely dawn, given that the other people are sleeping. The tower is the largest building in a complex encircled by a low wall. There are eight smaller identical houses lining a central courtyard. Beyond the low wall around the complex is a great number of very tall trees, and beyond these trees a large settlement of some sort. A city. Beyond the city Susumu can see a much greater wall.

Susumu returns to his room and quietly snoops through the dresser. He and the other boy clearly share space. He is young, clearly a child again. How young? What is his new station in life? Who is the boy sharing his room? The dresser holds no answers, not even names on tags. One half is filled with tee-shirts and the other with shorts. Quite useless as a method of gathering information. Still, he gets dressed. Susumu adds a 'simple shirt' and 'simple shorts' to his inventory where they are 'equipped' automatically. He could put them on normally but that would take time and make noise. Until he has his bearings Susumu would prefer to go unnoticed. 

Susumu inspects the tower thoroughly. There are a number of floors above his and only two below. Sleeping above him are Kuroda Aiko, LVL 76 and Kuroda Airi, LVL 52. Aiko is at least one generation Airi's elder. Two of the rooms on this floor are empty. The next floor hosts Kuroda Takayuki and Kuroda Toshiyuki, both LVL 7. They are somewhat younger than Susumu is now, if he doesn't miss the mark. One floor has a messy futon and a pile of laundry but is otherwise abandoned. The other floors have a truly ancient man, another two men, and another has just one man. All are sleeping and do not wake when Susumu creeps past.

It is the very top floor which contains something worth investigating. A large, open attic stuffed to the rafters with boxes of old weapons and artifacts. Susumu investigates old notes and journals and generally learns the history of his new family. This takes only minutes, although there is nearly a hundred years of history represented here. Susumu need only pass his hand over these books and scrolls, accept the prompt, brace himself and allow for the curse to envelope the materials in a cloud of chakra. In seconds the chakra sinks into the materials and deposits the information therein directly into Susumu's mind. A photographic memory could not so easily absorb and retain information like this. His curse was meant to be a blessing and in some respects still benefits him.

Susumu is therefore aware as he travels back downstairs that he has been born to the Kuroda clan. They are a large, prosperous family originally from the Land of Rice Paddies where they warred with their most hated rivals – the horrid Kaguya. Susumu has some recollection of those from his last life. Animals with the ability to manipulate their own bones, that clan desired nothing but bloodshed and would do whatever it took to extend the war. The Kuroda possess no advanced genetic mutation (bloodline) but have a general tendency towards Earth and Lightning chakra nature manipulation. They all share certain traits – pale hair, dark eyes, and lithe builds. 

They are also known for being excellent weapons specialists, perhaps a throwback to the Samurai Era where they served a daimyo in that capacity. They were front line combatants during the Third Great Shinobi War and are now famed for their first strike policy. Meaning, Susumu suspects, that their enemies generally only manage to land one strike upon them before being wiped out. More recent entries inform Susumu that the Kuroda clan has taken an interest in poison and drawn somewhat closer to the Nara and Yamanaka clans as a consequence of their research.

Susumu returns to 'his' floor to use the facilities before exploring downstairs. He must make the most of the opportunity while so much of the clan is sleep and learn as much as he can about the boy who died so that he could be reborn. No, he corrects himself. That is a fallacy. The boy died and so created the opportunity for his soul to slip in. To think otherwise will lead to madness. 

The floor beneath his is a large family room with a sofa and low tables. A rack holding scrolls, a bookshelf packed to overflowing with books and a small family shrine dominate the room. Susumu crosses over to it. There is a list of names, presumably his ancestors, inscribed on a simple steel plate. A symbol (a Mon, perhaps) rests above the list, rendered in expertly carved wood. His new family name is also inscribed. Kuroda Takeshi is the first name on the list. 

Susumu infers that this is the founder of the clan – or at least the first one remembered or recognized by his descendants. It is sometimes unclear with common families. Also common in the lower classes is taking the name of a more famous and accomplished family as this one has clearly done. Susumu has met, worked with, and killed many false 'Kuroda' warriors of one sort or another. Unless he's mistaken that noble Samurai family died out in the Clan War Era when he first lived.

Whatever the name, these are his ancestors. Before moving on Susumu pays his respects. The next floor down is the ground floor. This is split into a very large formal dining room, sitting rooms, tea rooms, a large kitchen and a fore room meant for holding shoes. From the window above the sink in the kitchen Susumu spies the trees he noted before. They seem endless. He suspects that this village, whichever it is, is situated next to or in the middle of a large forest. He is perhaps in Konohagakure or Getsugakure – both are situated in forested areas. Unfortunately the materials he absorbed in the attic are old, ancient history. It isn't mentioned where the Kuroda clan eventually settled. 

With this ignorance in mind, Susumu returns to the floor above this to the overflowing bookshelf he spotted earlier rather than leave the house. He still doesn't know who he is now, or what he is expected to be doing. Mostly he finds fiction, adventure stories. But there are some basic shinobi training manuals, history and geography and survival skills. These are quickly analyzed by his curse, which deposits the relevant knowledge into Susumu's mind like water into an empty cup. 

Time has passed since his last life. The Third Shinobi World War has ended, borders have been adjusted and new countries have arisen. Samurai exist solely in the Land of Iron. Not much is known of them these days. Disappointing. Susumu settles in with some of the fiction. Reading for the pleasure of it is a privilege he's always appreciated for the luxury it is. 

Time passes, the sun fully escapes the horizon to burn away the morning mist. Movement upstairs sends shuffling sounds down the stairs. The house is waking up above him. Several people come down the stairs – all adults of varying ages, all clearly related judging by the uniformly dark eyes, narrow faces and white hair. They continue downstairs to the kitchen without acknowledging him. Susumu resists the urge to tug at his own hair to check. He had an eyeful in the downstairs bathroom. It's white, wavy and tousled. Slightly aggravating at the current length around his shoulders but otherwise unremarkable. Strange, but not horrid like the Kaguya bone manipulation. There are worse bodies to inhabit, Susumu reminds himself. 

One of the men comes back up from the kitchen with a large mug in hand and settles on the couch with him. This man, like the others, took little notice of him as they stumbled sleepily down the stairs towards the coffee. He's now close enough that the words painted in glowing ink above his shoulder are easily read from Susumu's peripherals. 

Kuroda Takehiko  
Konohagakure Jōnin  
LVL 93

Takehiko silently pats him on the head but otherwise makes no conversation, clearly only half awake and working off a hangover. The smell of cooking food wafts up from the stairs, and Susumu can detects the murmuring of distant conversation becoming louder as the adults become more aware. Upstairs there is more movement, clearly there are more people unaccounted for. The boys have yet to make an appearance. Probably still asleep.

Susumu infers from Takehiko's rank and level that his a highly experienced ninja. He likely lived through the Third Great Shinobi War - he has few scars and many callouses. Kuroda Takehiko is a highly accomplished ninja or a highly accomplished coward. Either he fought so well that he decimated his enemies before they could injure him too obviously or he spent his time far from the front lines hiding in some office handling logistics. Judging by the incredibly muscled shoulders, arms and legs he has on display in his simple sleeping clothes he is well-trained and still maintaining discipline. Front lines then, but Susumu isn't sure in what capacity Takehiko served. 

"Have fun at the festival son? I heard you headed home early." Takehiko has slowly recovered his higher faculties and interrupts Susumu's surreptitious spying. This is his father then. Very well. Takehiko's son died last night – or early this morning. Whenever Susumu inherited the body in any case. Left the festival early? Perhaps poison. The boy was feeling poorly and left to get some sleep. 

This is the first time Susumu has inherited a body that was otherwise healthy. Still, although the murderer is still at large and must be guarded against, this might work temporarily in his favor. Illness could explain away some unexpected mannerisms, strange vocabulary – things this man's son wouldn't say or do that Susumu doesn't know about or even have a way of knowing. He answers Takehiko, his new father, with a noncommittal shrug and a somewhat wry smile.

His new father seems somewhat amused at his expense. "More nervous about the Academy than you were expecting? It's really not anything to be worried about Susumu. Today it'll mostly be an introduction – tomorrow's what you'll want to worry about. That's when they decide ranks and split the students into classes." Interesting. Susumu's name is his own again. A strange aspect of this curse which ensures that it is always his name. 

Also interesting. An academy? It is a specialist's school, clearly. But for what? For ninja perhaps. Still, his new father is expecting an answer. And it would be good to alert him to a possible threat on his son's life. The murderer is still free – and has succeeded once already. Susumu means to live to die of old age.

"Not really. I just suddenly felt really sick. I'm not sure why, I don't think I ate too much." Susumu shrugs again, as the last was clearly acceptable to his new father. He's looking somewhat concerned now and leans forward to press the back of his hand to Susumu's forehead. He won't feel anything out of the ordinary. His son is dead and Susumu has inherited the body. The problems which may have existed before are gone.

"Well you seem alright now. Why don’t you go wake up your cousins for breakfast, it sounds like it's about done." Susumu gets up obligingly, headed back to the staircase. Before he can disappear his father calls out to him.  
"Susumu. Let me know if you're feeling poorly after school." His father looks serious, almost chiding. Susumu nods agreeably. His father is unreserved then. Good. Susumu's first father was not so. It wasn't until his third life that Susumu experienced what it was to be viewed with love by parents – to be more than political capital or an obligation. It seems he has been lucky this time again. His father at least loves him and is willing to express concern on his behalf.

The boys in the other bedroom are already stirring when Susumu walks in and shakes them by the shoulders. They grumble but get out of bed easily enough. Both are younger than Susumu is now. Younger brothers? Cousins? Susumu has been elder brother before and enjoyed it immensely. A holdover from his first life when he was the younger son and somewhat bullied by his elder siblings. The boy who shares his room takes more effort to rouse. He grumbles and whines, but eventually sits up.

"Susumu-nii why d'you gotta go to school?" This is Susumu's younger brother perhaps – they are close, judging by his whining now. He doesn't want Susumu to leave for much of the day.  
"You know why." Susumu says this with a pointed cadence, acting as though this question has been asked many times. Being a younger son once Susumu suspects it has.

And, to be honest, Susumu cannot answer this question. He doesn't know why he must attend this academy, or what he will learn there, or when (if ever) this boy will join Susumu there. Nothing is clear except that his father is an experienced ninja. That doesn't actually indicate that Susumu is meant to follow in his footsteps. It is a time of peace according to the books in the living room. Perhaps the great nations aren't scraping the barrel in terms of manpower and now allow their children the freedom to grow up.

The boy whines and it becomes clear that Susumu is going to have to drag him out of bed – he does, then drags him to the dresser to select his clothes (the smaller sets in the bottom drawers) all the while the boy whines charmingly with puffy cheeks and drooping eyes. He's doing everything he can to keep Susumu from going to the academy, he must love the dead boy very much. Susumu vows silently to return this affection wholeheartedly.

Still grumbling and only a little more awake, Susumu chivvies him along the hallway and through the house. Once they get to the dining room breakfast is just being put onto the table in communal dishes. Most of the adults which first came downstairs at dawn have gathered at one end of the table, children at the other. Takehiko, his new father, laughs when he catches sight of the boy's sleepy panda eyes – and Susumu belatedly realizes he should have taken note of his name. A quick glance shows 

Kuroda Takao  
LVL 4

Notably without rank – a simple civilian boy with perhaps the bare beginnings of a training regimen, but probably not. A member of his clan certainly and his little brother in reality if not in fact.

The boy settles between Susumu and his father, and as they serve themselves Susumu takes surreptitious glances over his family's shoulders to their names, ranks and levels. They are quite accomplished; not one Genin is present, all Chūnin but for one Tokubetsu Jōnin (a woman, older than some of the others) and Susumu's own father whom is obviously a fully ranked Jōnin.

One man, the eldest at the table, sits at level ninety-seven but is otherwise unranked. Retired then. Kuroda Takehiro may actually be the patriarch of the family. He is at least ninety years old. His silver hair has gone faintly blue, clearly the result of advanced age and not the natural pure silver the rest of the family sports. He's wrinkled, scarred – but his back is straight, his movements concise and elegant. 

This one must have been a great ninja at one point, to have lived so long. Susumu is looking at his goal, his purpose in life. To live as long as this man, and longer, until he dies peaceably in his bed. It is good to have his goal so clearly in view. This man's presence will motivate Susumu to work harder.

Once breakfast is finished the adults linger around the table nursing coffee and laughing with each other. The children are expected to clean up. Susumu follows the other two boys (twins if he's not mistaken, Takayuki (LVL 7) and Toshiyuki (LVL 7)) and listens in quietly. The adults had given his generation over to the children's section of the festival and preceded to their own celebration. Susumu isn't sure what exactly the purpose of the festival was.  
Perhaps a local holiday. 

The adults had gotten drunk as lords with their comrades and stumbled home only a few hours ago, which explained their clear inattentiveness both the night before when the boy was killed and this morning. Ninja are usually much sharper than this. His new father Takehiko refers to the old man as grandfather – the old man, Kuroda Takehiro, is Susumu's great grandfather then.

After breakfast the other adults head out – presumably on duty within the village, Susumu didn't see any large packs indicating a long term missions. His great grandfather takes charge of the other boys and leads them to the yard out back. Little Takao hugs him and will not be moved without reassurance that Susumu will play ninja with him after school. Susumu finds his heart melting for this little boy, his little brother, for the second time in one morning. The boy is unbearably sweet. 

His father will be walking him to the academy for his first day. Susumu is grateful not for the emotional support but for the directions. He doesn't know the way.

Once outside the front door Susumu abruptly realizes that the Kuroda family is somewhat larger than he thought. The house they have just left, the main house he concludes, is flanked by eight more houses within a walled compound. The main house is evidently set aside for the main branch and favored members of the other branches – maybe also for clan orphans. The eight houses face a center courtyard leading to a gate into Konohagakure proper.

Most of the clan are adults dressed in Chūnin or Jōnin uniforms and jumping clear over the wall and onto nearby rooftops. Off to work, he guesses. A few children, two of them the first young daughters of the clan he has seen, head in the other direction on foot. Going to visit Takehiro, his new great grandfather, to be looked after while the parents are working – following after the young children are other elders of the clan. They wish him luck at the academy.

Susumu realizes that he is the eldest child of the clan that he has met – there was one empty futon when he woke up this morning. Maybe there is an older child or teenager who didn't make it home from the festival. No one mentioned this person over the breakfast table, so Susumu is uncertain. This strange gap in-between generations is likely a lingering effect of the Third Great Shinobi War. Those people who weren't killed likely would have put off marriage and children until it was clear that the war was finished for good. 

His father walks him to the academy with a hand on his shoulder, a few older ninja (Teammates? Subordinates?) waving and calling out greetings as they pass. Whenever they come close Susumu takes note of rank and level. His father's associates are from all ranks, Genin excluded. Those few Genin who venture to wish them good morning seem somewhat in awe of Takehiko, and Susumu's suspicion that his new father is a somewhat well-known war veteran grows.

The academy comes into sight with dozens of ninja dropping off family members for their first day – and a few hopeful civilians with their children, hoping to use their children's careers as political or economic stepping stones for their family's betterment. Not any different from the clan children, really. Susumu's father signs him in at the table, chatting amiably with the instructor apparently in charge.

"Iruka-kun! Come meet my son. He might be one of your students tomorrow." Susumu's new father gestures to one of the Chūnin instructors. Umino-sensei is a friendly looking ninja who greets Susumu's new father with a smile.

"Kuroda-sensei! It's been awhile. Your son looks just like you. It's nice to meet you Susumu-kun." Umino-sensei introduces himself and Susumu perceives that Umino would favor him if he ends up in his class. No sooner does the though cross his mind than new words paint themselves on the air to the side – his first quest in this life. 

Susumu makes no indication of seeing the words with the ease of practice. He instead greets Umino-sensei politely and stays silent while his father chats with his former student. This Chūnin is one of his father's former genin trainees. Umino-sensei seems well adjusted too – his father succeeded in bringing a Genin team through the war then. Susumu's respect grows. He failed to do the same himself. Before long the students are called to line up for attendance. Takehiko, Susumu's new father, leans down and pats him on the head gently.

"Good luck Susumu. Have some fun alright? Books aren't everything." Takehiko leaves by using a replacement technique – replacing himself with air, like a true master, and suddenly gone.

Umino-sensei shoos him towards the line where other students are waiting and joins the other instructors. While the instructors are organizing the attendance exams, the other students chat amongst themselves. One of them is exceptionally loud and bright – he is boasting that this is his third year, so he knows all the pitfalls. Is the Konohagakure academy so difficult that even failed students are proud to be kept on?

Susumu, for the first time, worries. His stats are pathetic. Looking around he notices that the other prospective students are similar or worse. Still, some are better. Primarily the bright boy – three levels higher than the average at ten. And he failed the first year twice. What sort of entrance exams are these going to be? The boy that this body belonged to – was he ready for them? What knowledge did he have that Susumu doesn't? More worrisome, what if he does too well? Susumu intends to die of old age, and being promoted quickly doesn't serve that purpose at all.

Before he can think on it too much Umino-sensei call for attention and organizes the group into nine smaller groups – Susumu's has seven other children. They are taken to a classroom and given a paper exam, carefully watched over by the instructor. The questions are simple: general knowledge of world history, Konohagakure's founding and naming the Hokage's in order. Others are clearly psychological in nature, posing simple moral quandaries and expecting them to reason out a solution ahead of time. The final section is more of a questionnaire: hobbies, goals and favorites. Also psychological, of course, and perhaps meant to act as a baseline for measuring the student's emotional health later on.

After two hours of this the sensei releases them to eat their lunches outside. Practically speaking this means Susumu has the opportunity to stretch his legs and finally look at the floating words following him. The sensei were watching them closely for cheating before.

While the other children eat and run around in packs, Susumu reads his first quest in this life, concealing the act with a meditative pose and relaxed mien. 

Humble Beginnings

1\. Place fifth or better on the academy entrance exam!  
2\. Place fifth or better on the obstacle course!  
3\. Merit a place in class 1-A, the high-potential class!  
a. Reward: +500 exp.  
b. Improved reputation with:  
i. Konoha Academy Instructors  
ii. Academy Students

The high-potential class? These tests are manifold then – providing subtle psychological information, personal information, assessing skill and knowledge and allowing the academy sensei to begin applying effort to the weakest and investing capital into the strongest by splitting them up into classes. Ninja are so tricky. Susumu accepts the quest. He wouldn't be promoted for this, but instead receive applied training which could only lengthen his lifespan. He also takes the opportunity to examine the game's many pages of information. His reputation and titles, to begin with, read thus:

Kuroda Susumu  
1\. Title: Heir's Heir (+1000 rep. w/ Kuroda Clan)  
a. Alts: N/A  
2\. Reputation:  
a. Kuroda Clan: 1000 – MAX  
b. Konohagakure: 200/1000  
c. Konoha Academy:  
i. Students: 200/1000  
ii. Instructors: 200/1000

The only reason he had that title was his station, he expected, and the only reason for such advanced reputation was his have positive karma in his past life. Still, Susumu doesn't complain. A help is a help, no matter that the source was a horrid curse which tormented him at every moment.

The next tab is his stats page, which of course had not altered since he had assigned points in the grey place. His bonuses are the same, his nonexistent skills are entirely nonexistent and Susumu notes the complete lack (for the moment) of necessary side quests. So much work…and that was without considering who murdered the original owner of this body. If it was murdered. Susumu may in fact have assumed too much. Paranoia settling in perhaps. After his last life as a Jōnin Susumu had learned to respect the utility of healthy caution, but in this case it may be unwarranted. Perhaps the boy had died of an unexpected illness or allergy. He has no way of knowing just now. Susumu was interrupted then by the loud boy.

"Heeey! You wanna come over with us? We're playing ninja!" The loud boy was incredibly shrill. Perhaps he would grow out of it. Susumu examined this boy and the one behind him. Uzumaki Naruto, LVL 10 and Inuzuka Kiba, LVL 6. He pressed down his first answer, which was unnecessarily rude, and instead demurred claiming tiredness after the entrance exam.

"Yeah, that was super boring. Iruka-sensei is always going on about how important it is, too." Naruto rolled his eyes dramatically while Kiba slid an interested look at Susumu's blatantly silver hair. He interrupted Naruto before he could whine again, thankfully. Susumu had better things to do than listen to a child whine about an hour's effort.

"What's up with your hair? Are you, like, an old man?" Scintillating. A child with facial tattoos and a fur coat in summertime was critiquing him. What to do? Well, best to establish some distance. Susumu hadn't enjoyed socializing with children when he was a child himself, so long ago.

"I'm not an old man any more than you are an actual dog." Susumu scolded mildly, for the moment ignoring Naruto's quick glance between them. He seemed confused. Surely he hadn't missed that Kiba is an Inuzuka? What more did he need to figure it out?

The boy was carrying around a puppy and had fangs, claws and dog's eyes. Susumu found him vaguely disturbing in the way that the obviously inhuman features were melded with a human child's chubby cheeks. Those eyes seemed predatory – the pupils were dark narrow slits resting against pure white. Unerringly focused on Susumu's, a challenge of some sort. Dominance? Susumu held his eyes, drawing out the moment until the boy realized he'd drawn attention from the other children – a scene he wanted no part of, abruptly.

"Tssk! C'mon Naruto, leave the old man to his meditation." The boy scoffed and stalked off, snatching Naruto's arm when he hesitated.

Finally alone, Susumu decided to follow his advice. Some meditation might be exactly what he needed to calm down. He'd died only yesterday – the cracks were beginning to show. Before he could progress much (difficult as it was in a playground) the Academy Instructors were pulling the children back into their groups for the physical part of the entrance exam.

The children were required to run around a track five times, surmount a climbing wall, attack a dummy with three kunai and shuriken, demonstrate a few survival skills and complete a teamwork exercise – each team was given a pole and instructed to guard it from the other teams, even as they worked to knock the other down. It was bedlam, chaos – although somewhat less after an hour of rigorous exercise, it must be said.

Susumu managed by convincing his team that he should guard the pole – which he did with simple holds and knock-downs which infuriated several of the opposing girls. One, Yamanaka Ino (LVL 8), stood and lectured him for the rest of the game even while he ignored her and continued with his job. It infuriated her – but he simply knocked her onto her ass every time she tried to 'punish' his 'ungentlemanly' behavior. His team switched out after knocking down two poles – Susumu and Aburame Shino (LVL 6) managed one on their own with a combination of creepy bugs and quick knock-downs. Susumu's team won, handily.

The third and final portion of the exam was won by Naruto – easily. All they had to do was stick a leaf with chakra to their tenketsu for as long as they could. Susumu was panting and sweating with effort, barely scraping fourth place, while Naruto managed without issue. He seemed invigorated, in fact, ready to do it all again. Very strange. These tests weren't exactly rigorous but they were very difficult for any normal child – meaning many of the civilian children would not make the cut. Susumu expected the dropout to pass, but not so well. Perhaps his boasts had some facts correct after all.

His father Takehiko was waiting for him with a crowd of other parents, and smiled when he saw Susumu, exclaiming that he must have worked hard to be so disheveled – and then proceeded to praise him in public for the effort, claiming to be proud to have such a dedicated son. Such effusive praise…it was more than Susumu had ever experienced before. He couldn't help it – he blushed. His father laughed and teased him on the way back to the Kuroda compound. When they finally arrived Susumu was directed to wash up, after which he was presented to his great grandfather Takeru.

His clan patriarch was finishing a slow kata with a katana when he arrived, and Susumu was immediately taken by the elegance of the movement. It had been a long time indeed since he had watched a master wield a katana. Susumu waited patiently at the door for his patriarch to finish before he was gestured to advance. His great grandfather led him to a rack of practice weapons.

"Every one of us has taken up a blade – preference within our clan is not to knives but to greater weapons, as you know. Examine these and choose which you prefer. If you are accepted into the academy, and if you are diligent, an instructor will be chosen for you." Takeru stated without inflection. 

Private instruction from a master of one of these – in return for honoring the clan with diligent study, clearly. And if he was not accepted? No weapon, no rite of passage, not a member of the Kuroda clan. Takeru may be couching this in simple, even gentle terms but his meaning was clear. The Kuroda had other boys to coach into viable heirs to the Kuroda clan. He was, if dear to his father and Takeru, entirely without worth to the clan as a whole if he were a civilian. And a civilian, Susumu was well aware, did not have the greatest life expectancy. Given his father Takehiko's emotional availability Susumu suspected that he would be at least monetarily supported until adulthood even if he were expelled from the clan. Still, not something to be aiming for.

He examined the wooden practice weapons without comment. Nearly every variation of sword and polearm was present, from the ninjato to the naginata. Although Susumu took his time to respect the severity of the situation, he nevertheless settled on the Nagamaki. It could be nothing else. The Nagamaki had served him well in three lives – he felt safe only when one was within reach. Susumu offered the wooden replica to his great grandfather. Takeru took it and tucked it against his side.

"The Nagamaki is an excellent weapon for medium range. Your instructor will be Amaya. Excluding weekends you will spend five hours a day in her company. Additional lessons will be assigned at her discretion. Be aware: I will receive weekly reports from her. If you become indolent you will be punished." Susumu bowed respectfully before his patriarch and left after being acknowledged. His great grandfather was curt, direct and focused. Excellent traits in a patriarch. Takeru's apparent emotional distance was no trouble for Susumu, although it may have been so for the boy who owned this body. Susumu did not know Takeru, was not truly a child but dedicated to becoming stronger. This attitude which Takeru evinced therefore was cause to feel encouraged.

Susumu was further encouraged when his father Takehiko dropped off the roof of the dojo and snatched him up into a tight embrace, professing pride that Susumu had chosen his grandfather's weapon. Takeru's son, who Susumu had yet to meet, apparently mastered the Nagamaki within two years. Susumu realized his grandfather was dead only when his father led him to the family shrine in the main house. His father Takehiko showed respect and indicated the battered Nagamaki hanging in a rack above the plaque. This was the very same weapon which his grandfather used in defense of the village. Susumu realized, suddenly, that he may have hurt his great grandfather Takeru by reminding him of his son. There was nothing to be done about it now, however. 

His father left him then to see to other business – Susumu perceived that he was quite busy with clan matters at the moment, not duty to the village as a whole. Susumu retreated to 'his' room, which was shared with little Takao. He arrived to find Takao sitting on his futon, which he had never put away. Also in the room were Takayuki and Toshiyuki, the twins from the floor two above theirs. Other favored sons of the clan head. And, reading between the lines, chosen playmates for the heir (Takehiko)'s son.

They had eager, puppyish looks and bombarded him with questions. What weapon did he choose? Who would be teaching him? What was the academy like? Were the other students rude? Was the test difficult? On and on – Susumu settled down on the futon next to Takao. His lives as a younger brother informed him now that he could not escape without indulging his new little brothers. Takao, sweet and eager, snuggled in for a hug while the twins leaned in to hear the story. Susumu exaggerated, as was his right, about the strangeness of the students and difficulty of the exam. Inuzuka Kiba merited a small rant all on his own. His brothers were suitably awed by his vast knowledge of the academy. Still, Susumu was sure he had done well enough to be place in the first class. The first class was the one which was slated for Jōnin commanders post-graduation.

The very best of the village teaching the very brightest of the newest generation. Susumu knew from his 'reading' that morning in the attic that Kuroda traditionally preferred to teach their own children and disdained group teaching as a weak and ineffective method. Meriting a place in the first class would, therefore, likely please his great grandfather Takeru. Excellent.


	3. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Susumu endures rigorous training and receives confirmation that there is, in fact, a murder plot. Then he punches a puppy. His internal sarcasm levels rise.

Susumu returns to the academy the next morning, this time alone. All through the evening before an anxious pall had fallen over the other boys in the main house. Unspoken was their worry – that Susumu would fail to be accepted into the academy and they would have to take his place. 

If Susumu had been a true child perhaps their worries would have inflamed his own. But he is not a child, and worries such as these are a distant concern. Susumu therefore spent the evening playing games with his pseudo-brothers and lightening their worry. 

The academy sensei have not prevaricated. After a sleepless night grading, assessing and ranking the potential students they are perhaps low on patience. Posted on a large board before the academy entrance is a list of all students accepted and their class assignments. Susumu glances at it – he has tied for fourth place with Aburame Shino. Above him are Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Huuga Hinata. Immediately the quest acknowledges his success – Susumu advances in level. The area is too crowded with disappointed civilians and whining children to assign his points immediately, and perhaps that is for the best. Instead Susumu wanders through the academy in search of his classroom. 

Class 1-A, set aside for high potential students, is on the first floor. Susumu is unsurprised to find several children of recognizably shinobi descent. What does surprise him is the bright dropout, Uzumaki, who has apparently scraped his way into the class. Susumu examines him and cannot see any reason this should be so. Presently Uzumaki is squealing while several girls beat him into the ground, Yamanaka Ino among the attackers. 

Susumu acknowledges Aburame Shino and settles between him and a Nara Shikamaru, LVL 5. At least it will be quiet, seeing as Shino will not speak above a whisper and Nara is already sleeping on his folded arms. From his seat Susumu has a clear view of the girls beating Uzumaki. Suddenly, and with childish drama, another boy enters the room. He saunters with his hands in his pockets to a seat in the front. Uchiha Sasuke, LVL 9. 

The reactions of the other students are…enlightening. Susumu is close enough to see the way Yamanaka's eyes dart to this boy, to Uzumaki on the floor and then to the other girls. She immediately straitens up, plucking at her hair and clothes nervously and simpering.

"Sasuke-kun! I knew you'd have a place in the first class. Nothing else would – erk!" Yamanaka Ino is viciously elbowed out of Uchiha's immediate view by a girl with pink hair. Haruno Sakura, LVL 4, completes the move by standing on Yamanaka's stomach, preventing her recovery. 

"Sasuke-kun! Don't listen to the pig, she doubted you all morning! She kept –" Haruno is interrupted in turn. On the floor under her Yamanaka has lost her mind, squealing and denying every word. She is quite vulgar for an eight year old. 

Just then, thankfully, Umino-sensei drops in through the window and breaks up the altercation. Haruno and Yamanaka are banished to opposite corners. Uchiha Sasuke sits dead center, clearly ignoring the entire situation. While Umino-sensei takes roll from a list, Susumu takes a moment to assess his 'profile' which indicates that he has five points to spend. For now, Susumu elects to even things out. Too little of one statistic will have consequences later on.

Susumu, LVL 2  
Weapon's Specialist:  
[Polearms]: +15% Damage, +30% exp. [Nagamaki]  
[Thrown]: +15% Damage, +10% exp. [Kunai], +10% exp. [Shuriken]  
[Swords]: +15% Damage, +10% exp. [Ninjato]  
Old Soul:  
+5 Intelligence  
+5 Wisdom  
Karma: Positive  
\+ 5 Charisma  
\+ 200 base Reputation  
Strength: 9  
Dexterity: 7  
Constitution: 9  
Intelligence: 10  
Wisdom: 10  
Charisma: 10

Somewhat pathetic still, but equal to these other children whom are universally of a higher level. Keeping to this trend means that Susumu, when he is level ten, will nevertheless outstrip all of them in raw skill. Of course until then he is just another brat. 

His reputation tab reflects the changes from successfully completing the quest to join the high potential class. He is still 'Honored' with the Kuroda clan, but Konohagakure and the academy staff and students universally 'Like' him. This means, practically speaking, that Susumu may expect to be treated with courtesy by the other staff and students. Eventually Susumu may be able to manage 'Honored' status by Konohagakure in general. If that ever happens he will likely be a contender for Hokage. Ridiculous. This, more than other aspects of the curse, confuses and frustrates Susumu. 

Umino-sensei finishes with the roll call and is interrupted by Uzumaki attempting some sort of prank – a water balloon? Childish. Umino-sensei assigns detention, loudly, and Susumu suspects that he does so in front of the class in order to put some peer pressure on the boy. It's a common way to motivate lazy students. Uzumaki has failed twice already. The eyesore seems unaffected, but thankfully shuts up.

The rest of the day until lunch break is a lecture. From the corner of his eye Susumu acknowledges the messages scribbled onto the air. He does not move to read them. Instead he listens as Umino-sensei details the founding of the village, the brutality of the clan war era, and some of the more famous battles which were recorded for further study. It is fascinating. 

This young Chūnin has dispensed one hundred years or so of bloody history into a three hour lecture. He hasn't even sugar-coated it for young impressionable ears. The torture, the lies and assassinations – all of it is available in glossy textbooks for the children to see. Mostly artist's recreations it must be said, but Susumu is impressed by the duality. The war is over, children grow at their own pace, and yet the established system from the war has prevailed.  
They are preparing this class to fight on the front lines of a war that hasn't even begun to be whispered about. Fascinating. Susumu suspects that someday soon they will go 'camping' in order to get their hands bloody. Break them early, and hard, in a controlled environment.

Of course the other children are less appreciative, they're only eight. Soon Umino-sensei must take up bits of chalk which he pelts at sleeping students periodically, without breaking stride. Cute. These baby ninja are bored to sleeping by the deaths of thousands, the murder of their ancestors.

Thankfully they break for lunch. Susumu stoically acknowledges the messages awaiting him, allowing for the [History: Konohagakure] skill to level up eleven times. The experience he gets as a bonus is minimal, only ten per level. Still, even slight increases are a help this early in a new life. One hundred and ten experience points rockets him over halfway to level three. Susumu predicts that he will level at least once in class, this first day. Later on these slight boosts will be negligible at best, but for now they constitute the entirety of his progress. 

Susumu is abandoned by Aburame for lunch. Clearly Shino finds him less interesting than ants. Good to know. Akamichi Chouji, LVL 8 drags Shikamaru to share his lunch, leaving Susumu alone. Probably for the best, these children would likely realize he is not what he seems. 

Of course, his life being what it is, this is the moment when Susumu is approached by several children. Leading the pack is Yamanaka Ino, LVL 8. When will this girl learn? How many times did he knock her down yesterday? More than a dozen, surely. And here she is, expecting something from him.

"Old man! You have a lot of nerve coming here. This class is for the best. You'll notice how many of them are girls. None of us are going to put up with you being rude." Yamanaka Ino has the confidence to thrust herself into his space. The group of girls following in her wake cross their arms and follow her lead. She's clearly united them against him beforehand.

"Rude? I don't even know your name. Or," Susumu glances pointedly at the crowd, "any of these other people you've dragged over." A few of them have the sense to look embarrassed. 

"Yes, rude! Yesterday you pushed me down and never apologized!" Yamanaka Ino is clearly a bold girl. Also a pigheaded child.

"I pushed you down in a training exercise. I believe that konoichi should be treated the same as shinobi – even students like us. Do you disagree?" Susumu challenged her.

"Well, no-"

"Because, you see, I noticed that your argument is somewhat strange if you agree with me. You are a girl, clearly. Do you believe that girls are better than boys? Or should boys always allow girls to win because they're so much weaker?" Susumu leans forward himself, challenging, "I'm not going to apologize. You should. You spent two hours yesterday lecturing me for the insult of respecting you as my equal. You spread rumors and discontent against me. You don't even know my name and yet presume to shame me." The rest of the class giggles and whispers, their attention completely focused on this petty power play.

"Yeah, Ino-pig! Butt out!" Haruno Sakura cannot resist screeching at her rival.

"You –" and now Susumu stands, hands on his desk, "should leave."

Yamanaka Ino makes a frustrated noise, face red. Behind her the girls are pulling her away from him, ashamed on her behalf. Of course she is not ashamed for her own sake. It's at that moment that the final nail in the coffin hammers home – the Uchiha, heartily tired of this confrontation, scoffs from the front of the classroom. 

The reaction of the class is immediate. Yamanaka immediately freezes in place, one disapproving noise from her crush doing more than a lecture from Susumu. Her friends scatter, unwilling to share in Sasuke's disapproval. Yamanaka turns without comment and rushes back to her desk to bury her face in her arms. What a ridiculous child. Susumu accepts the notice which informs him that Ino Yamanaka 'Hates' him at -500 reputation. Impressive. She hates him even with the +200 reputation buff to all academy students.

The rest of the school day passes peaceably with Yamanaka doing a turtle impression, advancing in level once just on the experience given by learning Konohagakure's History. Without a clear idea of where to put the points, he leaves it as it is. There will be time later. 

Susumu heads home for his first session with Kuroda Amaya. She will be the one to teach him the art of wielding a Nagamaki. He tries to temper his expectations with limited success. Undoubtedly he will be restricted to wooden practice weapons, perhaps even a simple Bo stick to begin with. 

Kuroda Amaya turns out to be a Chūnin, LVL 57. She is skeptical of him and makes no pretense otherwise. "Well, you're gonna be the Head after your dad. Nothing I can do about it but make you into an acceptable heir." She eyes him up and down, assessing. Susumu is acutely aware of his disheveled hair, suddenly. 

Susumu pauses mid-bow, senses sharpening on this woman. What did the boy in this body do to offend her? Is she somehow related to this body's murder? More importantly, if she is, how is he going to prove it while under her direct control? In fact how is he going to survive at all? 

"Put down that schoolbag and take up your weapon! You'll carry it with you – if there's a second of your life without it, I'll know." Obligingly, Susumu leaves his shoes and bag in the doorway. From his peripherals a light emanates – another quest. He disguises his acceptance with a casual movement, turning back to Amaya-Sensei and catching the wooden replica she throws to him. It is perfectly balanced, he can't help but notice, clearly the result of an excellent craftsman. Perhaps one of his cousins? Perhaps Amaya herself, actually.

• Whodunit?!?  
o Someone's out to murder you! Suspect #1: Kuroda Amaya!  
 Find evidence of Kuroda Amaya's innocence or guilt!  
 Pursue all leads to all ends – before they try again!  
• REWARD:  
o +/- 2000 Rep. w/ Kuroda Amaya!  
o +1500 Exp.!  
o +2 WIS  
o +2 INT

-2000 reputation? That would rocket her straight down into 'enemy' status with no hope of improvement! His own clanswoman would attempt to murder him then – if she, in fact, hasn't already. What's more, this is the first true confirmation that his first paranoid instinct was entirely correct. Someone wants him dead, and it is likely that it is someone within the family. What a horrid situation. 

Even worse – Amaya is only the first suspect, meaning this extends beyond her whether she is the guilty party or not. How will he even investigate her? She is in every way superior to him, except perhaps clan ranking, and could kill him without thought. If she is the murderer only the heightened senses of nearby clan members protects him now. And she is incredibly discourteous! Unacceptable.

To her credit, Amaya matches her words with deeds – practice is brutally tough for a child. It begins with a warm up which is twice as involved as the Academy's Little Leaf he knows the basics of. Susumu infers that he will be working twice as hard with Amaya and the Nagamaki than anything in the Academy. Good. At least there is some benefit in his association with her.

He advances in level twice during that initial session, although he is unable to assign the points until the next morning. He is battered and bruised after six hours in the academy and then five with Amaya-sensei. He is without even the strength to sit properly at the dinner table – which means he is banished to his room without supper. 

Sweet Takao and the twins sneak him Onigiri later that night, looking worried sick for him, which does much to restore his depleted chakra, health and good cheer. Takao is especially worried, insisting he eat all of them and watching carefully as Susumu does so before dogging his heels to the shower and back to the room.

Hopeful that the next day will be a measurable improvement, Susumu helps Takao into his pajamas and into bed, indulging him with a short story – not at all different from a little lord he looked after in a previous life. Before he settles in to bed himself, his father comes to visit.

"Hey, little man. Heard you had a hell of a day." Takehiko ambles into the room, looking tired himself, and settled onto the futon with him. Susumu only nods, still unsure what behavior is expected of him by his father. Takehiko reaches out and musses his hair. Susumu cannot resist the impulse to squirm away, flushed and embarrassed. He is not a child in any sense of the word.

Takehiko, his new father, only chuckles. "Try not to let them work you too hard, Susumu. You've still got time to be a kid, you know?" Susumu is struck, again, by how alike he and his new father are. They are both exhausted by bloodshed, clearly, and if Susumu ever had a child he imagines he would be even more similar to Takehiko. For the first time Susumu acknowledges that his new life, potential murder aside, suits him well enough. 

Another new experience – it is apparently his turn to be tucked in for the night. His new father, Takehiko, is not just indulgent but doting. He tucks Susumu into bed gently, wishes him a goodnight and turns off the lights as he leaves the room. Susumu can hear him headed downstairs and suspects his father has more work to do; whether that is in the village proper or in the home office is unclear. What a strange man. Unsuited to the shinobi life, clearly. 

The next morning he assigns his fifteen points, this time more heavily favoring the physical attributes. He cannot progress without some physical conditioning.

Susumu, LVL 5  
Weapon's Specialist:  
[Polearms]: +15% Damage, +30% exp. [Nagamaki]  
[Thrown]: +15% Damage, +10% exp. [Kunai], +10% exp. [Shuriken]  
[Swords]: +15% Damage, +10% exp. [Ninjato]  
Old Soul:  
+5 Intelligence  
+5 Wisdom  
Karma: Positive  
\+ 5 Charisma  
\+ 200 base Reputation  
Strength: 15  
Dexterity: 15  
Constitution: 11  
Intelligence: 10  
Wisdom: 10  
Charisma: 10

As he predicted, Susumu's attributes completely outpace anything the other academy students can match overall, although as he learns in the academy they've specialized. With this strange game, he seems predisposed to win. If only. 

The second day of actual classes at the academy is a physical one. Umino-sensei teaches them how to stretch and warm up, then has them all running laps around a track. Most of the students, even the clan children, lag after the first two or three. Susumu completes five in the allotted time, alongside Huuga Hinata, Uchiha Sasuke and Inuzuka Kiba. Interestingly the Uzumaki boy completes seven and a half without any discernable effort or dishevelment. Hyuuga Hinata and the other students are, by contrast, sweating heavily.

After this is a basic lecture on knife safety and maintenance, then some target practice with kunai. Susumu notes the sharp edges. It's clear that the academy doesn't bother with dull or wooden weapons even for raw beginners – they're expected to learn quickly from their mistakes or lose fingers. Uchiha Sasuke leads a pack of clan children in the rankings here, the last of which is Susumu. He just hasn't adjusted to his new, soft hands. The exception is Nara Shikamaru, who sleeps through the lesson in the bushes nearby. Foolish boy.

Thankfully Yamanaka Ino is too exhausted to bother with him. Unfortunately she is the least of his growing problems. Inuzuka Kiba seems to have developed some sort of rivalry with him, pushing and growling and in his way most of the time. Susumu isn't one to retaliate. The boy is only posturing. The problem with this is the quest which has popped up.

• Alpha Dog v. Top Dog!  
o This puppy wants to beat you! Beat him right back!  
 Defeat Inuzuka Kiba in a spar!  
• Defeat Akamaru in a spar!  
 Earn a higher grade than Inuzuka Kiba on the monthly exam!  
o REWARDS:  
 +200 Exp.  
 +2 Charisma  
 +1 Constitution  
 - 1000 Rep. w/ Inuzuka Kiba  
 -500 Rep. w/ Akamaru  
 -200 Rep. w/ Inuzuka Clan

Susumu is not actually out to make enemies. That is exactly the opposite of what he wants. Enemies end your life ahead of schedule, forcing another round of this accursed game that is his reincarnation. No. 

On the other hand, Susumu needs the experience points, to say nothing of the attributes. Further, not responding at all will likely lead to something unfortunate. The Inuzuka are a respected clan, and they are doglike enough to disdain someone who walks away from challenges. And Inuzuka Kiba is challenging him – whether it is his authority or some other nonsense is unclear. 

Also, now that Susumu considers the matter, his success in this is inevitable. Physically he has matched Kiba since the initial testing phase, and Susumu is his intellectual superior. Whether or not he accepts this quest, he will eventually defeat Kiba in some way, offending both him and his powerful clan. Susumu withholds a sigh. Enemies within the family, enemies outside the family…conflict is inevitable, he reminds himself, and it is just a matter of preparing adequately.

With this in mind Susumu accepts the quest and skips lunch to spend some time in the academy library and archives. Here are records dating back to the founding of the village – plenty of information about the Inuzuka. Perhaps learning how the first Hokage lured them into his village will indicate how to placate them. Again his curse shows its' one true benefit; Susumu slips into the earliest records and runs his hand over the section with the Inuzuka Mon in the header. 

Interesting. The first Hokage challenged their lead alpha and dragged him back to Konohagakure. The Inuzuka followed the scent trail, declared war on the village, and were summarily defeated by the first Hokage with one move. He earned their loyalty by pounding their faces into the dirt and then returning their leader unharmed. 

Are these people actual dogs? Do they require constant supervision? What a savage, inelegant group. Susumu discovers how they followed the 'scent trail' – with actual piss. Their leader pissed himself on the way to Konohagakure. Wonderful. Susumu makes note of this; if and when he spars with Kiba, aim for the nose. As disgusting as the techniques are, Susumu infers that they are only truly effective with an enhanced olfactory sense.

None of this helps him with his Inuzuka problem, really. They'll still 'dislike' him, which means he can expect discourtesy and, perhaps, piss in his future. Just what he needs. Susumu leaves the archive unsatisfied in any sense; worried, hungry and anxious. 

Settled at his desk in Umino-sensei's class, Susumu watches the war for Uchiha's affections vaguely as he considers his next move. He has some time. Students are re-ranked once a month following a comprehensive exam, and as term has just begun he has roughly three and a half weeks before the Inuzuka as a whole and Kiba in particular sour towards him. 

Umino-sensei returns, dragging the orange boy by the ear and shoving him unceremoniously into the seat next to the Uchiha. As the lecture begins Susumu's eyes drift unwillingly toward Kiba, who is exchanging spitballs with another boy. -1000 rep. would usually put someone firmly in the 'mortal enemy' category, but his +200 rep. with academy students is in effect until graduation. 

After defeat Kiba will 'hate' him, sliding past 'disliked' and 'mistrusts' into dangerous territory. Not as bad as it could be, though. Something will have to be done before graduation. Perhaps a gift? What to get a dog boy and his dog? A squeaky ball? A steak? 

Food is likely a good place to start. This boy is from a clan of savages, however loyal to the village. And steak is a rare pleasure even for the established clans, who usually maintain a roughly vegetarian diet (Akamichi notably excepted). Steak then, perhaps at a restaurant where the pressure will be on Inuzuka to maintain some semblance of propriety. 

Susumu settles into his seat, now relaxed, and attends to the lecture. Given that most of the class is still recovering from their intense workout from the first half of the day, Umino-sensei reasonably lectures for the second half, covering more weapon's maintenance mostly. Susumu accepts the prompt for advancing in level quietly, noting his [Weapons Specialist] modifier is of great use just now.

After the academy finishes for the day Susumu makes his way through the village, eating his lunch as he walks and avoiding Kiba as much as is possible. The boy is stalking him. Poorly. Susumu is more insulted about how obvious he is being than anything else. What a rough, unmannered boy. Susumu cannot truly lose him without resorting to revealing his skills, which would be unfortunate before the sparring, and so endures the pathetic annoyance until he reaches his clan compound. Kiba has the sense to leave him alone after that, thank all the gods.

Amaya-sensei is as abrasive as ever, tripping him with the blunt end of her Katakama Yari before he takes a step into the training room. "Dead! If I were your enemy you'd be dead, fool! Take notice of your surroundings, maintain discipline even in familiar places! Now, show me your forms – and wipe that look off your face, fool! You're thirty years too early for cynicism!"

The next five hours are punishing, and Susumu wonders if Amaya-sensei is actually punishing him for something. Surviving her murder attempt, perhaps. Nevertheless he notices improvement thanks to his statistical advancement the night before. His physical condition has doubled overnight, and he finds the familiar forms (at least, familiar in the sense that he has used them for two lives) strain his muscles less to maintain. Amaya-sensei takes note as well, pushing him to complete a further set before releasing him in roughly the same condition as he left yesterday.

That evening he manages to eat dinner at the table at least, which alleviates some of Takao and the twins' worry. Takao spends most of dinner telling Susumu how he spent his day – learning hiragana and clan history from the elders. That night, like the one before, Susumu looks after Takao and settles him into bed with a story. 

Susumu senses that he is Takao's primary caretaker. What happened to Takao's parents? He is too young for them to have died in the last war, surely. Now that he thinks on it, there are more children Susumu's age or younger than there are older. It's almost as though there is a small gap between teenagers and children about eight years old. Those children are just…missing. Susumu noticed this even in the academy upper years – the classes above his, which should be filled with preteens, were much less crowded. Unsettling.

That mystery remains unsolved, and Susumu forgets much of it, as classes and training with Amaya-sensei continues. Even his weekends are busy with Takao, who clearly expects Susumu to look after him – an expectation shared by the rest of the clan as it turns out. Takao really is Susumu's responsibility. This settles uneasily upon Susumu's shoulders. He does not have a great record of keeping people alive, and he has a murderer after him as it is.

His potential murderer makes no further attempts either, and although Susumu attempts to forge an opportunity to investigate Amaya-sensei nothing truly comes of it. Clan records show her to be a competent Konoichi with the potential for promotion to Tokubetsu Jonin in a few years. She learned under Hyuuga Hizashi as a Genin, completed several missions, and is now contracted through the village as an assistant interrogator in the T&I division. Interesting, but ultimately unhelpful.

His other issues are set aside as the monthly examination comes ever nearer. The other students have improved – by perhaps one level. It is astounding the amount of work they refuse to do. The loud boy, Uzumaki, has alienated many potential allies with his abrasive behavior and so stepped up his pranks rather than focus on his studies. Shikamaru is a lost cause. Aburame, Uchiha, Haruno and Yamanaka are the only students in a class of thirty-five aside from himself to have improved by more than one level. Susumu suspects their clans are reinforcing their training regimen.

Kiba's incessant challenges have only escalated over time, reinforced with Yamanaka's encouragement. Susumu can give the girl some credit for showing initiative in trying to have her enemies destroyed without her direct involvement. But she is a child and her politicking is obvious. 

When the day comes, Umino-sensei splits the class in two. One half goes with Mizuki-sensei, an assistant instructor, outside to begin the physical aspects of the exam. Susumu remains in the classroom and completes the academic side of things. Simple. It's to be expected with his ability to absorb information. He assimilated all of the academy coursework weeks ago. 

Afterword, the students switch with each other. Uchiha excels with wire, kunai and shuriken, and other tools – he sets the bar for the rest of them. Susumu has adjusted very much to his new body by now, and manages a good showing there. Then comes the part he has anticipated; the spars.

It is done in tournament style, each half class having a 'champion' who will maintain the title until next month's exam. Susumu watches, supremely unimpressed, as Yamanaka demolishes a civilian girl and then directs a superior look to both him and Haruno. Uchiha does well against Aburame, Haruno flails against Akamichi Chouji, and Uzumaki embarrasses himself against a civilian boy, all very pathetic. Then it is his turn, against Kiba. 

This boy is inelegant, rough and loud. But he isn't a fool. He rushes Susumu immediately, Akamaru darting around behind – Susumu is forced to choose a side to defend, and dodges right. Akamaru sails past unimpeded while Kiba jumps after him without pause. As weapons are disallowed, Susumu is unable to follow his instinct to lash out with the butt of his spear. Instead he recalls the information gleaned from the records and lashes out with the heel of his hand. 

Kiba howls with a bloody nose and falls back, disoriented. Akamaru leaps for Susumu's throat, fangs bared, and Susumu doesn't hesitate to punch the dog. He aims for the thickest part of the Akamaru's skull, he's not a monster, but Kiba either cannot see it or emphatically does not care. 

He growls demonically, far more disturbing in a chubby cheeked child than in a grown man, and dives for Susumu's legs – he jumps, startled, and Kiba slides beneath him and out of the ring. Susumu wins by default. Mizuki-sensei grabs hold of Kiba by the coat, scuffing him gently while the boy howls and jerks towards Susumu, absolutely enraged.

"Not bad Susumu-kun, you win. Inuzuka! Quiet! Akamaru's fine, he's just stunned." Mizuki-sensei quite literally shakes some sense into Kiba, who dashes to Akamaru and then away from Susumu, glaring death all the while.  
Susumu absently acknowledges the prompt which indicates a successful quest, and assigns his points as the next round of the tourney begins. He's level 10, now, nominally equal to the Uzumaki boy although his skills far outstrip him. That said, the students have begun specializing already. Uzumaki is a fool, but his Constitution is incredibly high. Likewise, Shikamaru is a sloth, but his Intelligence is comparable. Susumu's stats are fairly even, and that can work against him. He'll not be winning any races against Uzumaki, for example. 

Susumu, LVL 10  
Weapon's Specialist:  
[Polearms]: +15% Damage, +30% exp. [Nagamaki]  
[Thrown]: +15% Damage, +10% exp. [Kunai], +10% exp. [Shuriken]  
[Swords]: +15% Damage, +10% exp. [Ninjato]  
Old Soul:  
+5 Intelligence  
+5 Wisdom  
Karma: Positive  
\+ 5 Charisma  
\+ 200 base Reputation  
Strength: 20  
Dexterity: 20  
Constitution: 20  
Intelligence: 12  
Wisdom: 12  
Charisma: 12

His physical statistics are almost double his intellectual – he makes a note to himself not to focus overmuch on physical characteristics. It does no good to be strong only in one area. That leads to an early death, not necessarily a quick one. Now that the quest is completed, Susumu takes the opportunity while everyone is distracted with the Uchiha/Akamichi fight to look at his reputation page.

Kuroda Susumu  
1\. Title: Heir's Heir (+1000 rep. w/ Kuroda Clan)  
a. Alts: N/A  
2\. Reputation:  
a. Kuroda Clan: 1000 – MAX  
b. Konohagakure: 200/1000  
c. Konoha Academy:  
i. Students: 200/1000  
ii. Instructors: 200/1000  
d. Inuzuka Clan: 0 (+200, -200)  
i. Inuzuka Kiba: -800  
ii. Akamaru: -500  
e. Yamanaka Clan: +200  
i. Yamanaka Ino: -500

Well, some progress has been undone. Susumu resolves to give Inuzuka and his dog the weekend to recover and calm down before he invites him out for steak. Judging by the unceasing glare and weak killing-intent directed his way, Kiba is feeling too resentful to be approached just now. What did the dog expect? That Susumu would just tolerate his endless harassment? Irritable, vexing child.


	4. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Susumu endures a murder attempt from an unexpected source, survives an interrogation, meets with the Hokage, and begins to realize that peacetime in Konohagakure does not mean what he thinks it means.

Hindsight being what it is, Susumu realizes by the following Monday that punching Akamaru was a poor decision that couldn't be rectified if he slaughtered and cooked an entire cow by hand and presented it on bended knee. Kiba all but declares him his mortal enemy the minute Susumu steps into the classroom. He hasn't even made it to his desk before Kiba is on him, claws extended, teeth snapping at his throat. 

Thankful for Kuroda Amaya-Sensei's training, Susumu doesn't hesitate to shove the spear between their bodies. With the butt of the handle pressed sharply into Kiba's liver and the bamboo blade cracking to pieces on the ceramic tile beneath them, Susumu leverages the boy off himself. 

Kiba skids backwards and crashes into the front row of desks, and behind him several of their classmates jerk backwards and begin clearing the immediate area. Susumu meanwhile leverages himself up with his spear, snatching up Akamaru from where he was gnawing on his ankle. The puppy growls as ferociously as he can and squirms, but Susumu keeps a firm hold. 

His ankle bleeding fairly heavily, Susumu shifts stance. With his injured leg behind him and his spear held across his torso he has a greater range even stationary. Kiba growls, fangs bared and lip lifted in a snarl. 

Not as mindless as he appears, Kiba throws several shuriken – Susumu recognizes the tactic as a distraction even as he catches them in his wooden Nagamaki on reflex. Before he can retreat into the hallway, the only path open to him, Kiba is under his guard. The boy ducks under the spear even as Susumu brings it down hard enough to crack the tile and shatter the handle. Bamboo splinters fly across the classroom harmlessly.

Kiba takes the opportunity and lunges for his injury. Susumu's leg fails him immediately – as he falls he snatches up Kiba's shuriken from the ground, slides them neatly between his fingers and makes a fist. Susumu doesn't hesitate to put them to use and punches Kiba directly in the gut, aiming for the spot where his spear has surely ruptured internal organs already. 

It may have been his only choice with such a limited skillset, but Susumu regrets it immediately. The Shuriken dig both ways, slicing deeply into the webbing between his fingers. Nevertheless it is effective – Kiba opens his mouth on reflex, the breath shoved out of him in a howl. Free for the moment, but with one leg and hand injured on opposing sides of his body and his other arm occupied in restraining Akamaru, Susumu is mostly without further options. 

It is at precisely this moment, when Susumu has kicked himself away from Kiba and left a streak of blood across the classroom and Kiba is curled around his heavily bleeding stomach, that Nara Shikamaru's shadow connects with Kiba's. Both boys immediately freeze in place. The other students begin screaming in earnest, and Aburame hops neatly over Kiba's frozen body out of the classroom and sprints down the hall. Susumu presumes he is in search of an instructor or medic. 

Hands slide under him, then arms. Susumu looks up to find that Uchiha Sasuke has locked his elbows under his shoulders and is dragging him away from Kiba and behind the teacher's desk. He realizes immediately why; it is a defensive position. Nara's level is so pitiful that Kiba will be up and moving in minutes. 

Sasuke does not leave him, pulling his mesh gauntlets off and using them as a makeshift tourniquet and then hopping up onto the desk for a better angle on Kiba. From around the desk he spies Akamichi as he hurries from the back row and his desk next to Shikamaru. The boy slips nin-wire from his thigh holster and begins restraining Kiba. 

This is the tableau Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-sensei walk in on: Kiba collapsed in the doorway in a growing puddle of blood, hogtied with nin-wire, Akamichi crouched over him with a foot firmly planted on his head. Fanning away from this are splinters of bamboo, and an ominous streak of blood extends behind Iruka-sensei's desk. Behind this is Susumu, although they can see only his head peaking around it and hear Akamaru barking incessantly. Crouched on Iruka-sensei's paperwork Uchiha Sasuke has a kunai in a defensive grip. To cap it off, Nara Shikamaru suddenly faints of chakra exhaustion – his head falls to his desk with an ominous thunk.

BREAKTHISLINE

From his bed in the hospital Susumu reflects on that moment with some wonder. In a civilian school perhaps there would have been shrieking on the part of the instructors, the class would certainly have been dismissed and perhaps the entire school shut down for the day. But this is a ninja village. 

Both Iruka and Mizuki are Chūnin, which are mid-level battlefield commanders. Both are old enough to have seen and spilled human blood, and Susumu now firmly believes that they have worked in the field together before – perhaps even as Genin teammates. The evidence of their long partnership is obvious. 

The two didn't even look to each other for a moment. They moved in tandem, and within moments Mizuki-sensei's hands had begun to glow faintly green with medical chakra and Iruka-sensei had corralled the uninvolved students into the hallway. After seeing to Kiba and binding him more thoroughly than an academy student like Akamichi could, Mizuki-sensei had moved to Susumu himself. 

Susumu was efficiently treated before also being tied up and disarmed. Akamaru received the same attention. Both Susumu and Kiba were thrown over Mizuki-sensei's shoulders and handed over to masked operatives outside the academy. Beyond that, Susumu knows nothing of what happened to his classmates or Kiba and his dog.

He had been deposited in a locked hospital room, visited only by a med-nin and a Yamanaka interrogator by the name of Inojin, level 48 Chūnin. After giving his statement Susumu had given verbal permission witnessed by two masked operatives and signed a release form which authorized Yamanaka to perform an interrogation technique on him. 

It hadn’t felt like anything but pressure at his temples while being performed, but Inojin claimed that he'd relived Susumu's memories of the incident and would include Susumu's willing cooperation in his report. This seemed significant, although Susumu knew not why.

The med-nin did not speak with him about anything but his treatment. Kiba and his dog had severed his Achilles tendon, which explained both the incredible pain of what had seemed a simple injury and why his leg had immediately collapsed beneath him.  
Susumu required three physical therapy sessions and a relatively minor surgery to correct what would be, in a civilian hospital with civilian doctors, a career-ending injury. His hand was repaired in moments by a Genin nurse trainee.

BREAKTHISLINE

It isn't until he is fully recovered, four days post incident, that he is released from the hospital into custody. The masked operatives use a substitution jutsu to transport him directly to the Hokage's office.

His new father, Takehiko, immediately takes hold of him. Susumu is sheltered beneath his father's arm and tugged away from the Hokage. His great-grandfather and clan patriarch Takeru is standing before them and the Hokage, shoulders straight and posture rigid. The atmosphere is oppressive. Nobody speaks.

The operatives appear once again, this time escorting Kiba and a woman, clearly also a member of the Inuzuka clan by her appearance alone, although the writing which only Susumu can discern identifies her as Inuzuka Tsume, Jōnin level 86. Neither of them have been allowed their dogs, which makes sense when he thinks about it. Weapons are not allowed in the Hokage's office except with his express permission.

Inuzuka Tsume sends Kiba scurrying back with a look and the boy sits himself down on the rug obediently while his clan matriarch steps forward to take her place before the Hokage. The Third Hokage, the Professor, the God of Shinobi and one of the most bloodthirsty men ever to live. 

Susumu has not forgotten the Slaughter of Tanzaku-Gai, a fortified town which the enemy had taken in the Third Great War. This man did not just order that town destroyed, he led the team of Konoha and Suna ninja to infiltrate and destroy it. The gutters were filled with corpses.

Susumu has no respect for this man.

Nevertheless he is the leader of the village. When he sets aside his paperwork and acknowledges them Susumu bows with his father and great-grandfather. Kiba ducks his head from his place on the floor. The Hokage has a low, rough voice when he speaks.

"We are lucky," the Hokage decides, "that the Yamanaka have been able to verify the testimony provided by class one, particularly Nara Shikamaru's account of events." The Hokage lights his pipe with a simple fire jutsu, and smoke curls away and up towards the ceiling. "Otherwise this would be complicated."

Both Inuzuka Tsume and Takeru nod in acknowledgement. 

"By complicated I of course mean that Inuzuka Kiba would be arrested for attempting an unsanctioned assassination of a Konohagakure citizen." The Hokage looks beyond the clan heads, examining first Kiba and then Susumu. "Murder, in other words."  
Susumu can see that Inuzuka Tsume is becoming somewhat agitated. Her claws are curling into fists. The Hokage continues without interruption. "Because this is a simple matter, we will apply a simple solution. And then we will not speak of it." 

His father's hand tightens on his shoulder, although Takehiko is too well-trained to otherwise reveal his agitation. Susumu bears the pain stoically. "Kuroda Susumu. As you are not the agitator you will receive a lesser punishment. For the remainder of this semester you will give over your weekends to community service. Present yourself promptly at the hospital administration office at dawn."

Takeru steps back, respectfully facing the Hokage. Susumu finds himself standing between his father and great-grandfather, struggling to maintain his posture. The relief is enormous, his knees are weak. The Hokage addresses his attacker next.  
"Inuzuka Kiba. You have acted against the tenets of the Will of Fire, the very foundation of both your clan and the village as a whole. For the remainder of the academic year you will receive mandatory psychiatric counselling with Sayuri-sensei. She will meet with you directly after class and act as your escort to the hospital, where you will complete no less than two hours of community service every weekday."

Inuzuka Tsume does not follow Takeru's example. Instead she lifts her chin. Susumu interprets this as a show of fealty and not arrogance. The Hokage does not object, in any case. 

"This rivalry ends now. Although I recommend the two of you reconcile for the sake of peace between the Kuroda and Inuzuka that is your business." The Hokage sets aside his pipe and gives Susumu and Kiba a very commanding look. "Go to class, study, train, and complete your work at the hospital. You will not be a disturbance to your classmates. You will not act against each other in any way. If for any reason either of you attempts to murder the other again you will be arrested and stand trial, after which I will personally see to your punishment. Dismissed."

Takehiko, his new father, uses his grip on Susumu to pull him backward. Susumu is once again substituted. This time he appears with his father and great-grandfather outside the Administration building at the foot of the Hokage Monument, which is a towering cliff which has been altered with earth jutsu. The third Hokage's stern face looks over the village, from this angle looking as displeased as he was in person just a moment ago. His father Takehiko pulls him up onto his back and leaps in tandem with his great-grandfather to the rooftops. Neither speak, and Susumu follows their example. In minutes they are home.

Susumu is gently pushed after his great-grandfather, who leads them to his office on the first floor of the main building. Unlike the Hokage's grand desk and large windows, Takeru prefers a low table surrounded by cushions so that his many family members may visit with him at their convenience. His father Takehiko takes a seat, pulling Susumu down next to him.

It hasn't escaped his notice that Takehiko hasn't had a hand off him since they were reunited. His doting father, unsuited to shinobi life, is openly worried about him. Susumu's great-grandfather Takeru is less demonstrative but equally relieved, Susumu discerns. This is only obvious by the way his great-grandfather settles himself on Susumu's other side. Takeru otherwise maintains perfect posture and an undisturbed mien. Still, there are nine other seats he could have chosen.

"You did well to cooperate, Susumu." His great-grandfather says quietly. It is the first bit of praise Susumu has received from his patriarch. "Without willing cooperation or the Hokage's authorization the Yamanaka are disallowed to perform their interrogation jutsu on Konohagakure citizens."

Beside him his father sighs. "And without Inojin's support…well, it could've been bad. The other boy didn't cooperate at all, claimed you instigated by attacking his dog. It was looking like you both were trying to murder each other, not just a schoolyard brawl."  
Susumu is hit with a sudden insight. "Did you arrange for Inojin to be my interrogator, great-grandfather?"

"I did. He was my student once, and an ally in this matter. A risk, as we were unable to advise you, but thankfully you were in the right after all." Risky, that's a word for it. If Susumu had been the aggressor then the entire clan would have been penalized to the Inuzuka's benefit.

His father ruffled his hair. "The boys have been frantic, you know? Try to spend some time with them. You know, between school and training with Amaya and all this community service." Over his head Susumu's father and great-grandfather share a look.  
"Unlike the Inuzuka boy, you have not been assigned a requisite number of service hours Susumu. I suggest you complete your work at the hospital as efficiently as you may, else your other responsibilities will be neglected."  
His father is clearly agitated. "He ought to have a break, grandfather." 

"He has earned one. As he is now required to defend his life from even his peers at the academy however, I do not recommend it." 

"Yeah, I guess not." His father concedes the point gracelessly, but Susumu is nevertheless warmed that he made the argument.

The rest of the day passes eventfully as Susumu is reunited with Takao, who is hysterical, and the twins Toshiyuki and Takayuki. At the dinner table his cousins and relatives pester him for details, and Amaya-sensei makes a point about his needing a new Nagamaki. She promises to make another one for him, but that will take a few days. Until then they will be training bare-handed. Judging by the unholy light of glee in her eye Amaya-sensei is looking forward to it. Susumu is not.

BREAKTHISLINE

Class continues in the exact way the Hokage has ordered: no one speaks of the incident, not even the students. Nevertheless it is not forgotten. Kiba and Akamaru are switched over for the monthly ranking exams, so that he and Susumu are never again matched against each other in the sparring. They sit on opposing sides of the classroom, do not speak with each other and never under any circumstance are they paired.

Susumu would find this a peaceful compromise, if not for Yamanaka Ino. 

Although it is clear the girl was disturbed by the incident, she recovered her fire by the time Susumu returned to class. The girl clearly sided with Kiba in the matter, either in spite of him or because she really does believe Susumu to be in the wrong.  
Yamanaka Ino has taken every opportunity to spread word of the 'puppy murderer' throughout the academy. How she has done so within four days, reaching every one of the five hundred girls in the academy, remains a mystery. Susumu is left to wonder.   
He is, in truth, left to a lot of things. Although Umino-sensei and Mizuki-sensei think well of him, Susumu's peers have bowed to social pressure. He is not only friendless, but anathema. None of the students will even look at him, and the female students sneer and whisper about him.

Ironically this has improved the Uchiha's opinion of him. More than once when the girls have been particularly obtuse the Uchiha has looked at Susumu with open envy. It is the first emotion, disgust and pride aside, which Susumu has ever seen him display in even the slightest way. Susumu considers befriending him simply for the company, but sets the idea aside when he witnesses the girls of his class instigating a brawl on Sasuke's behalf.

What few children there are who don't hate him for punching Akamaru have their own reasons for avoiding him, the risk to their popularity only the least of these. Nara Shikamaru dislikes him because of the drama which follows his every action. Susumu senses that the boy is accustomed to inaction. Nara doesn't appreciate the challenge of helping him, which he is obligated by the Nara clan to do, and the Akamichi boy follows him without question.

Aburame doesn't care one way or another, but his clan are very close to the Inuzuka. His decision to keep his distance is therefore a matter of policy. Susumu forgives this easily. Hyuuga Hinata is too meek to handle the pressure and minds her own business. She is the tiniest coward Susumu has yet met. How will she lead her clan one day? And of course Inuzuka Kiba despises him. Susumu can't leave his pack anywhere for fear of Akamaru and his partner pissing all over it. But the worst offender is actually someone Susumu never expected.

Uzumaki Naruto is without a doubt the most obnoxious boy Susumu has ever had the misfortune to meet. Although never popular himself, the boy is in no way sympathetic to Susumu's situation. Uzumaki elects instead to ingratiate himself to his peers by pranking Susumu at every opportunity. Of course Susumu dodges these pranks. It is literal child's play.

In a fit of irritation, Susumu even ensures that the pranks always land on someone else. Uzumaki desires a popularity increase by tormenting Susumu? Fine, war it is. When Naruto uses a painted drop sheet to hide the door of the classroom Susumu enters from the window – and Yamanaka falls for the door trick and embarrasses herself in front of Sasuke. Naruto suffers for it. When Uzumaki tries to tar and feather him? Well, it's the sloth that happens to cross the doorway first. Uzumaki's poor social circle shrinks by two, the Nara and the Akamichi abandoning him without hesitation.

Susumu's academic life therefore passes eventfully, although even the chaos is so predictable that he ceases paying much attention to school matters. He raises in the ranks to the number one spot and maintains his position for the rest of the semester, earning roughly a level per week on the work he puts in.

BREAKTHISLINE

It is his training with Amaya-sensei which really intrigues him. She makes no secret of her opinion of him – or seems not to, in any case. She calls him 'fool' or 'idiot boy' at every opportunity, but Susumu has looked into his reputation with her. Kuroda Amaya is as effected by his Title as the Heir's Heir as all the other Kuroda. Her opinion is maxed out. She should be paying him respect and treating him courteously.

That means, Susumu realizes, that she is acting against her true opinion. This is likely because she wishes to maintain her authority while training him. Simple enough, now that he thinks on it. But there is a complication, one which has never happened to him even in his previous lives.

Kuroda Amaya is one of the suspects in his murder. If she thinks so well of him, that means motivation is not a factor. If she is his murderer, she either did it on order from the Hokage or for high-minded and not emotional reasons.   
If the Hokage ordered his death Susumu has no way of proving it. That's a barrel of secrets and festering corpses he has no desire to reach the bottom of. But if he didn't, and there is no obvious reason he would, Kuroda Amaya is the end of this road. And she lives with him in the main house. Susumu could perhaps find evidence in her belongings.

That's how Susumu ends up swinging by his feet from the ceiling of Kuroda Amaya's room, thoroughly restrained in a rope trap.

BREAKTHISLINE

It is Amaya herself who finds him, and Susumu is well aware that if she is his murderer then he has just provided her with the opportunity to justifiably harm him in defense of her privacy. Instead, she laughs. 

"You little idiot. What'd you think would happen, you'd line my clothes with itching powder? I had six little bothers you know." She pulls on the knot of rope around his chest, and Susumu falls. He twists and lands on his feet, in a crouch. 

"I did not." Susumu did not know this. Her brothers, judging by her age, should be in their teens or early twenties now. But they are missing, as most of the interstitial generation between Susumu's peers and his father's generation. Very mysterious.

Amaya-sensei sighs a little, walking around him to pack up the clothes and other belongings he has left around the room in his search. "Well I did, and they were all as stupid as you." She slides a chastising look under her lashes, exasperated with him. "What were you trying to do, anyway? This is a mess."

Susumu thinks, briefly, on how to answer this question. He decides on the truth. Kuroda Amaya has by now missed several opportunities to harm him. Her strange behavior and discourtesy is, he thinks, well-intentioned. There is no motivation for her to murder him, and if the Hokage wanted him dead he could have executed him for the altercation with Kiba. And Susumu is without further leads or resources. He needs help.

"I was attempting to find evidence against you." His charisma attribute has been neglected, Susumu remembers. There is a reason he is usually so quiet. In this life he is training to be an assassin, not a diplomat. 

Amaya-sensei blinks, startled. "Evidence of what, exactly?"

Susumu straightens up, pulling his arms behind his back in a soldier's 'at rest' position. "I believed that you may have attempted to murder me. I no longer believe this."

"Uh, kid…hate to break it to you, but training with me isn't really that bad." Amaya-sensei stands, clothes tossed aside. He has her full attention now.

"I was referring to an attempt made on my life several months ago at the festival honoring the founding of the village." Amaya-sensei's mouth opens, and remains so. She says nothing. "I suspect poison was used. I very nearly died, but realized the situation early enough to take a dose of Val-Or." 

Val-Or is a substance produced by the Nara clan in conjunction with the Akamichi which is widely utilized within the village. It identifies foreign material in the bloodstream and attacks. His academy books used a metaphor about white blood cells. Although this of course did not happen, it is a plausible excuse for his survival. The Kuroda keep several doses in their medical supplies, and it is available at every corner shop with a prescription.

"And this is the first I'm hearing of it." Amaya-sensei has rapidly passed through her surprise and moved on to irritation. Typical of her. "Did you at least tell someone? Your dad, at least? Anyone?" Susumu shakes his head, electing not to speak further.  
Amaya-sensei moves, appearing behind him in a sudden shift. She smacks him over the head, knocking him to the ground. "IDIOT! Someone tries to kill you and your first response is to, what, ignore it!? Ugh!" 

Amaya-sensei displays the disparity in their strength, lifting him by the collar of his shirt and marching him to his great-grandfather's office and shoving him unceremoniously into a seat opposite him. Amaya-sensei bows perfunctorily before settling next to him with a huff of irritation.

"You're gonna want to put the paperwork aside for a minute, uncle." His great-grandfather does no such thing.

"I often think," he says as his brush moves tidily across the scroll, "that I ought to delegate these matters. And then I think of what would happen if you were put in charge of our taxes, niece." His great-grandfather is not so uncouth as to shift in expression. The pointed silence which follows says much about his belief in his niece Amaya-sensei's mathematical ability.

"Yeah, well taxes won't murder you for ignoring them a minute. Unlike the enemy which is targeting the little idiot, here." Amaya-sensei and Takeru share a look, faces expressionless.

"I see. Perhaps we ought to have Takehiko present for this discussion." Susumu rises, anticipating his great-grandfather's request. Amaya-sensei rolls her eyes and shoves him back onto his cushion. She stomps out of the room, sliding the rice paper screen shut behind her. Seals glow with chakra along the seam between door and wall. His great-grandfather begins shuffling his papers, setting his accounting aside. They do not speak. It is not Susumu's habit to chatter and his great-grandfather is the same.  
In minutes Takehiko is darting into the room, taking hold of Susumu by the shoulders and looking him over for damage. 

"The attempt was made three months ago, father." Susumu clarifies quietly. He perceives that he has erred by keeping his own council in this matter. In his defense, he is not this man's true son. He was reborn into this family three months ago. Only now is he accustomed to them, at least enough to invite them to take part in his troubles.

"Three months? Grandfather?" His father Takehiko looks to Takeru, his great-grandfather. Takeru invites them all to settle around the table, which they do. Takehiko settles next to Susumu, putting his arm around his shoulders and tugging him firmly to his side. Amaya-sensei flops across two cushions on another side of the table. 

"Amaya came to me a moment ago with this information. It is the first I'm hearing of it." His great-grandfather looks to Susumu, awaiting explanation.

Before he is able to answer Susumu perceives that the quest which precipitated his investigation of Amaya-sensei has altered somewhat. Likely he has encountered new suspects or objectives. There is no opportunity to check, however. His great-grandfather is watching him closely.

"At the founding festival someone poisoned my food. I do not know who did this or why," Susumu declares simply.

"Do you know what was used?" His great-grandfather is taking notes, filling out a form. Unsanctioned assassinations are common enough even in peacetime, it appears, for a clan head to have this paperwork handy. Good to know.

"No. Val-Or was enough to negate it."

"How many doses were required?"

"One."

Amaya-sensei is watching closely, although she is lounging and seemingly relaxed. His father's arm is tight around his shoulders. Susumu expects a lecture from him sometime soon. Takeru finishes with the page, rolling it up into a simple unadorned roll. He lifts his hand into the sign of Tiger, which focuses chakra. With a small puff of smoke a fox appears. Susumu blinks, otherwise repressing his surprise. He was unaware that the Kuroda were contracted with summoned spirits. The fox is very small, perhaps only weighing five pounds altogether. 

"Take this to the Hokage without delay Yoru, and see that it is handled by Hokage-sama alone." Takeru gives the scroll to the fox, who is wearing a Konoha hitai-ite and a very small Chūnin vest. The fox, Yoru, bows neatly and stuffs the scroll into its vest without comment. Amaya-sensei opens the door to let it out.

Once Yoru is gone and the seals along the door are realigned his father speaks. "This is Aine's doing, grandfather."

Takeru concedes this is so, nodding in agreement. "Likely. Without the Hokage's permission we are helpless to retaliate however, as you well know."

Amaya speaks up from her slouch, sneering. "That doesn't mean we can't do something about this, uncle, it just means we can't be caught."

For the first time since he has known him, Susumu's great-grandfather's face shifts expression. He is feeling ironic. It is his father who responds, however. 

"Well, let's just go out and murder all our problems." Takehiko sighs, hugging Susumu closer and directing an exasperated look in Amaya-sensei's direction. Before she can respond and spark an argument between them, Takeru interrupts.

"We are under surveillance, don't forget. The last thing the village needs is the clans sniping at each other and themselves. Tensions are high as it is with the Uchiha gone."

Amaya-sensei sighs. "Yeah, high enough to make a schoolyard rivalry into attempted murder."

"Yes."

Susumu senses that he must speak up if he means to learn anything of value. Who is Aine and why would she murder a child? What could be worth the risk? All of this is being left unspoken, which is useless to Susumu. Although he may be expected to know the answers already, he has become impatient. Three months wasted acting alone when he could have simply asked for help. His own paranoia and arrogance frustrate him.

"What have I done to make an enemy of Aine?" Susumu says this without looking to anybody in the room. If he is lucky they will not perceive his true ignorance, allowing him to subtly interrogate them without raising suspicion upon himself. If anybody were to know the truth of him…well, it wouldn't be good.

His father answers, sounding vaguely apologetic. "It's not you that's done something, son. Aine is…well, she's been wronged by the clan as a whole."

Takeru raises his hand, putting an end to any answers Susumu could glean. "That's enough, Takehiko. Susumu." Susumu looks up, meeting his great-grandfather's eyes. "In the future, you will make attempts upon your life known. Ignorance is no excuse in a matter so serious."

Takeru dismisses him with a pointed glance at the door, and Susumu ducks out from under his father's arm to bow and retreat. "Son, don't – just don't leave the compound for a while, alright? Don't eat anywhere else, either. Or –"

Amaya-sensei snorts, inelegantly shoving herself to her feet. She bows to Takeru and begins shuffling Susumu to the door. 

"I got it, cousin. Try to relax. He's still alive, it was a shitty attempt with something common enough for Val-Or." His father seems unconvinced, but Takeru speaks up in support.

"Amaya, thank you for volunteering. In addition to training the boy consider yourself his bodyguard until further notice. I will alert the Interrogation department and the Academy." Amaya freezes, an inarticulate growl of rage escaping from behind clenched teeth. 

"Yes, uncle." She bows again, then tugs Susumu from the room by his arm, stomping irritably out of the office. The last thing Susumu can see before the door snaps shut is his great-grandfather scribbling away at a new sheet of paper and his father's worried frown.


End file.
